The works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emanuel College in CambridgeThe works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge

He is the great Robber, or Thief: and if he can, Answ. he will be sure to spoil a man of that with is the best. Now faith is more precious than gold; the trial of your faith is, faith is the gift of God: and therefore, if he can get any thing from a man, he will get that which is Gods gift. He is the great hinderer of all good, of every good work; and he will especially labour to hinder that work which is The work of God in a special manner: and this is THE Work of God, that ye believe in his Son. Satan knows, that faith is the most Beneficial grace unto the Saints: The Shield of faith, it is called; and the Anchor of faith. If ye be in a storm at sea; faith is your Anchor: If ye be in danger at land, before Enemies, faith is your Shield. If that a mans Faith fail, his Duties fail, his heart fails, and all fails. He knows well enough, that he shall soon make us suffer shipwreck, if he can but weaken faith, and therefore his great design is upon our faith. He knows, that faith is most prejudicial to Himself: for by faith we overcome the world; whom resist, steadfast in the faith; And by faith we quench the fiery darts of the Devil. Now then (says Satan) Does faith quench my fiery darts? then will I labour to ⟨p. 270⟩quench faith if I can. The Devil does labour always to present himself in Christs clothes unto a soul, as an Angel of light: and he does labour to rpesent Christ in his own clothes, as an Angel of darkness. When as he is a liar Himself, he does labour to make the soul put the lye upon Christ, and upon the Spirit. The Spirit of God, that comes and testifies unto a man or woman, Thou art the child of God: Satan says, No. When a man therefore does say, He is not the child of God; the language of his action is, He gives the lye unto the Spirit, and he says, that Satan speaks true: So here he makes Christ and the Spirit of Christ a liar by his unbelief; & he makes the devil to speak true. Now this is Satan's great design, and therefore, in all his temptations, still he strikes at the faith of the Saints, labours to weaken their faith; his great design is upon their faith.

He is the great Robber, or Theef: and if he can, Answ. he will be sure to spoil a man of that wich is the best. Now faith is more precious than gold; the trial of your faith is, faith is the gift of God: and therefore, if he can get any thing from a man, he will get that which is Gods gift. He is the great hinderer of all good, of every good work; and he will especially labour to hinder that work which is The work of God in a special manner: and this is THE Work of God, that ye beleeve in his Son. Satan knows, that faith is the most Beneficial grace unto the Saints: The Shield of faith, it is called; and the Anchor of faith. If ye be in a storm at sea; faith is your Anchor: If ye be in danger at land, before Enemies, faith is your Shield. If that a mans Faith fail, his Duties fail, his heart failes, and all failes. He knows well enough, that he shall soon make us suffer shipwrack, if he can but weaken faith, and therefore his great design is upon our faith. He knows, that faith is most prejudicial to Himself: for by faith we overcome the world; whom resist, stedfast in the faith; And by faith we quench the fiery darts of the Devil. Now then (saies Satan) Does faith quench my fiery darts? then will I labour to